The Carousel of Life Spins Ever Onward
by Odivallus
Summary: A secret love, unrequited. Shadow has to figure out how to spill the beans, but how to do it without sounding strange... Beware dear readers, S-O-N-A-D-O-W.
1. The Beginning of Everything

Shadow was happy for the first time in ages. Himself and his lover, finally on their second date! A cemetery, of course was not his first choice. But as the cerulean form moved in glee just slightly above the earth, he really could not care less.

"Oh Shadow, it has been so long, my love" said the voice, belonging to the ghost in front of him.

He could only reply flatly, "Yes, it has been quite a long time, hasn't it?"

With this, Sonic gave him as deadly a glare as he could muster, and a sigh. He worked his way across the stage, turning off fog machines as he went.

Rubbing the face paint off idly, he replied. "C'mon Shads, you know you've gotta live the part if you want it to be believable!" It had been three weeks since he had agreed to do this act with Sonic. A never ending dance of messed up lines and skewed emotions.

"Well, at least you got the words right this time" Sonic joked, much to Shadow's chagrin. He never did like being prodded about things he was _actually_ bad at; it left a sour taste in his mouth. He would let it slide though. He always let it go.

The ebony furred hedgehog was quite head over heels, as some would say. Or, in laymen terms, he was in love. The feeling was likely not mutual, he knew that. However, one such as he should not give up so easily, hm? He just had to bide his time, wait for the right moment to bring it up. Even if it all went terribly wrong, he just **had** to know the truth.

Just not today.

He often pondered on just what it was that he liked so much about the other. His spirit was enrapturing, sure… but he could do with a bit of toning down. Was it those beautifully shining emerald orbs that stood at attention on his face? Maybe, could it be the way he moved himself with such grace when he fought or ran? He went on like this for a while, but it always became chalked up to the same thing: It was everything about him. The complete package was what he adored.

He chuckled, as he smiled to himself wryly, knowing this kind of thinking would lead him to nothing. Sonic, on the other hand, was having quite the party wondering what it was the ebony one was thinking of. It was indeed quite the party game. 'This would make millions! "Guess what the Hell is going on in Shadow's head"' he silently thought to himself with a grin.

"And just what in god's name do you think you're grinning at?" engaged Shadow, knowing full well he wasn't actually mad. He really just wanted an excuse to talk. Maybe this could be his chance…?

"What? You should see your thinking face dude, it's hilarious! You scrunch it up like you just ate a whole lemon!" Sonic managed to say between light giggles.

This was when Shadow had decided it was appropriate to reciprocate the earlier glare. "Ahh, but why are you staring faker? The merchandise in the window caught your eye?" he replied, with a suggestive purr to his voice.

Sonic the decided that a quick faceplant into the stage was infinitely better than whatever he was doing just then. The last words he managed to pick up before the head injury sent him to sleep, were a surprise…

"Oh gods, Sonic don't be hurt please! I'm sorry!"


	2. Wake up call

Sonic awoke to a strange bed, staring at an interesting ceiling fan. Interesting being relative, as he was more scared that he wasn't in his own room. It was as he was figuring out what to do that Shadow walked through the door.

This did calm his nerves a bit, but he still wondered just where in the ever living _hell_ he was. More importantly, how did he get here in the first place? But before he decided to bring any of this up, he decided it was better to just scream for a minute.

Just a minute.

After his fit of panic subsided, he took a deep breath. "Shadow, where are we?" The dashingly streaked hedgehog replied smoothly and evenly, determined not to show off his worry, "You hit your head while we were practicing for your silly play you set up. You needed some place to rest your head, and my residence happened to be closer. Satisfied?"

Satisfied he was, it seemed, as he lay his head back down unto the pillow. He wouldn't question his friend on why he didn't just take him back to his own home. It would have hardly been more trouble, but he probably had his reasons. Whether he wanted to know them or not, was an entirely different set of questions.

"So, is this your room? It's nice in here Shads." he mentioned, still staring at the ceiling. Shadow noticeably reddened at the remark. Did he forget to turn the air conditioner on? "Good to know you like my interior decorating skills. Now that you're awake however, you can go admire the living room instead."

Sonic stared at him with a lopsided smirk. He sounded a bit strange, as though he had something in his throat. He chuckled to himself as he got off the bed. The blue hog made his way out of the room.

Meanwhile, Shadow was in internal turmoil. He knew he shouldn't have brought Sonic to his home, but he really wasn't thinking straight at the time. He had never had such jumbled thoughts before, but they were seemingly impossible to handle. How was he supposed to focus on one thing when it always turned to something else? His desire for the cyan hedgehog to be his own was nerve-wracking.

Even to himself, he was starting to sound creepy about it. He had to calm himself down, take this slow. Maybe he would feel the same way back…?

He decided to take his chance. Shadow made his way to the living room, to find Sonic haphazardly balancing on an ottoman. Well, it was now or never.

"HiSonicIthinkyourreallygreatandIkindaloveyouhopeyoufeelthesame" he rushed out, forming quite the garbled mess of words. The rational part of himself was smacking it's pretty little face as hard as it could into every nearby wall.

"Yo, Shads buddy, you ok?" replied a concerned Sonic "I could barely understand a single word you said!"

Ruby eyes widened, soon obscured by midnight eyelids. "Never mind, it wasn't important anyhow. Just… make yourself comfy." Up turned quills sulked their way down the hall, toward an open door which gladly took his shaking frame. Sonic was afraid. He had no idea how to deal with Shadow when he was sad. Did he ever actually get sad? Was the Ultimate Life-form allowed to get sad?

This was a stupid way to think and he knew it. He sighed with resignation as he glided down the hall to cheer up his… acquaintance. He was hard pressed to call him a friend as he was always so _hostile_. He always seemed prime and ready to always clash. The guy never wanted to get to know each other. And boy, had Sonic **really** wanted to get to know him. He was just so mysterious, it tickled him in a way he couldn't even fathom.

Yeah, a deeper part of him knew it was love, but that deeper part of him could go stick it, he would never admit his special secret. Especially not to the ebony furred one himself. Lord that would be something. And the something is embarrassment.

That train of thought would have to wait though, he needed to cheer up Shadow. Or fix him.


	3. The part where stuff actually happens

Crimson eyes peak up at the now open door, merely to narrow as they catch a glimpse at the unwanted visitor. Sonic was writhing in his skin. He came here with a simple task in mind: Cheer up Shadow. The problem with this of course is that Shadow was a mopey sack of molasses.

So he found himself standing awkwardly in a doorway where he wasn't welcome. To perk up a hedgehog who undoubtedly did not want his company. Unless he did of course, in which case he would be here all day. He wouldn't be able to leave Shadow in pain, it just wouldn't sit right with him.

And a foot to the ass later really wouldn't do much for his own spirits.

"H-hey Shadow, doin alright…?" was all he could manage to get out. The atmosphere in the room was making him sweat icicles. How could one place be so heated and oppressive? It only took one look at Shadow's eyes to figure it out though. He was mad.

Dangerously so. He was glaring not some mighty sharp objects at the blue blur. Not quite knives nor daggers. He was shooting some absolute _swords_ at the poor cerulean hedgehog. Without any rhyme or reason in the recipients eyes at that. Sonic didn't even do anything wrong, did he?

My god what if he forgot to flush the toilet during his earlier venture to the restroom? Now it was killing him inside. He just **had** to know what had caused such a… crevice between them.

Sonic took a seat next to Shadow, and took a good long look into his eyes. There was pain there. Pain he could never begin to understand, even with all of his life experience. But there was something else in those deep pools of blood.

There was a sort of longing. A longing for something that he did not possess, but desperately wished he could. Now this, he did understand.

He felt that exact way about the one before him, of course.

So he took the initiative, and decided to try that "conversation" thing again.

"Shadow, look. I don't understand what's bothering you, but it's really concerning. You're normally _relatively_ fine, but now you're just sitting there staring at me like I killed your dog!"

At those words, Shadow's glare only intensified. He didn't want to have this conversation. Not with Sonic, not with anybody. Thinking about it, though, was entirely fair game.

Sonic was still very close to Shadow's face however, and was still staring into those enchanting eyes. He just couldn't stop himself.

 _He went and planted his lips firmly on those of one Shadow the Hedgehog._


End file.
